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Twelve Red Herrings
Jeffrey Archer, the internationally bestselling author of Honor Among Thieves, As The Crow Flies, and Kane & Abel, now serves up this inventive new collection of a dozen short stories -- with a twist. Cleverly styled, with richly drawn characters and ingeniously plotted story lines, each of the twelve pieces ends with a delightfully unexpected turn of events.
An imprisoned man is certain that his supposed murder victim is very much alive....A female driver is pursued relentlessly by a menacing figure in another vehicle....A young artist gets the biggest break of her career....A restless beauty manages the perfect birthday celebration....An escaped Iraqi on Saddam Hussein's death list pays an involuntary visit to his homeland. In each tale, human beings are given an opportunity to seize, a crucial problem to solve, or a danger to avoid. How will they react? How would you? Capping off the collection are two additional rewards. In the final story, Archer offers a choice of four endings. And buried in each story is another diversion -- a red herring which Archer challenges his readers to uncover.
An imprisoned man is certain that his supposed murder victim is very much alive....A female driver is pursued relentlessly by a menacing figure in another vehicle....A young artist gets the biggest break of her career....A restless beauty manages the perfect birthday celebration....An escaped Iraqi on Saddam Hussein's death list pays an involuntary visit to his homeland. In each tale, human beings are given an opportunity to seize, a crucial problem to solve, or a danger to avoid. How will they react? How would you? Capping off the collection are two additional rewards. In the final story, Archer offers a choice of four endings. And buried in each story is another diversion -- a red herring which Archer challenges his readers to uncover.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1994
406 people are currently reading
3219 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Archer
659 books12.4k followersJeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
March 23, 2025
Este es el tercer libro que leo de Archer. Ya que me encantaron los 2 anteriores, tenía la vara bastante alta y por eso le pondré nada más que un 3, que es un fiel reflejo de lo que pienso de este libro: Nada especial. Procedo a -tratar de- explicar por qué.
Es un libro con doce historias cortas, en las que unas me gustaron más que otras. En algunos casos, quizás en un par de ellas, fueron algo decepcionante. Estuve a punto de ponerle 4 estrellas ya que sobre todo la última historia me pareció genial, no solo por lo que trata, sino por la forma en la que está escrita. No, no daré spoilers, así que me ahorraré algunas palabras.
Anteriormente leí "El cuarto poder" y "La falsificación", libros que en verdad me gustaron y atraparon mucho y ninguno de los dos estaba basado en historias cortas. Las historias de este libro son buenas y me gustaría describir a los personajes con más detalle, pero como eran bastantes historias y distintos personajes, también me ahorraré esas palabras.
No quiero ser malinterpretado y quedar como alguien que no le gustó el libro, solo que mis expectativas eran mayores. Lo recomiendo totalmente, ya que me gusta mucho como escribe Archer. Espero con ansias leer un próximo libro escrito por él.
Es un libro con doce historias cortas, en las que unas me gustaron más que otras. En algunos casos, quizás en un par de ellas, fueron algo decepcionante. Estuve a punto de ponerle 4 estrellas ya que sobre todo la última historia me pareció genial, no solo por lo que trata, sino por la forma en la que está escrita. No, no daré spoilers, así que me ahorraré algunas palabras.
Anteriormente leí "El cuarto poder" y "La falsificación", libros que en verdad me gustaron y atraparon mucho y ninguno de los dos estaba basado en historias cortas. Las historias de este libro son buenas y me gustaría describir a los personajes con más detalle, pero como eran bastantes historias y distintos personajes, también me ahorraré esas palabras.
No quiero ser malinterpretado y quedar como alguien que no le gustó el libro, solo que mis expectativas eran mayores. Lo recomiendo totalmente, ya que me gusta mucho como escribe Archer. Espero con ansias leer un próximo libro escrito por él.
December 25, 2023
Jeffrey Archer is one of my favorite writers and it make wonder how under-rated he seems to be in terms of popularity and reverence, as the minimal number of trivia questions regarding his works speaks.
There is a difference between his novels (some of them over one thousand pages...) and this collection of short stories. The first ones are based on superbly-constructed characters, the second on clues and some moral, very similar to O. Henry's technique.
Some of them are gorgeous, especially " Shoeshine Boy", "Timeo Danaos" is annoying, "Channel Vision" is just garbage, so four out of five is a decent mark.
There is a difference between his novels (some of them over one thousand pages...) and this collection of short stories. The first ones are based on superbly-constructed characters, the second on clues and some moral, very similar to O. Henry's technique.
Some of them are gorgeous, especially " Shoeshine Boy", "Timeo Danaos" is annoying, "Channel Vision" is just garbage, so four out of five is a decent mark.
August 25, 2022
Twelve Red Herrings is a collection of twelve stories filled with Deception, cleverness & some with comic elements too where the ending delivers the final twist in almost all stories.
------
Jeffrey Archer's writing is spot-on as usual and in this collection of short stories he has done wonders with a couple stories. All of the 'herrings' are filled with Murder, Treachery, Blasphemy & Thrill which makes them quite memorable!
While Trial and Error, Do Not Pass Go, Never stop on the Motorway and An Eye for an Eye were my favourites, there were some lousy and silly ones too.
In all the stories, it comes down to the last paragraph and I found myself reading the last paragraph of almost every story repeatedly. Below is a detailed review of all of the herrings within the book.
Posting reviews of each of the twelve herrings from Twelve Red Herrings :
Trial & Error - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
I sincerely loved this fast-paced-no-bullshit mystery! From the first page, it kept me captivated and compelled me to turn page after page till I reached the end.
Loved the sense of urgency of the narrator in form of Richard & even excellent characterisation of Hackett.
This reminded me a lot of The Shawshank Redemption even though it's not exactly similar.
Cheap at half the price - ⭐⭐⭐
This was a much shorter story as compared to the first one and had less urgency to it, rather it was of a comic nature. Barring the deception element, nothing else was common in the two stories.
Dougie Mortimer's Right arm - ⭐⭐
Bob starts hunting for giving something remarkable on his farewell for which he'd be remembered and that's when he finds Dougie Mortimer's right arm.
Another story of deception however it fails to live up to the expectations one has after such an intriguing title. Although it ends well and in a rushed manner, JA does a fine job of conveying a message with it. Not the best of the lot.
Do Not Pass Go - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
A refugee finds himself in the country from which he had fled and thus on an execution trial.
This is another gem in the collection, in par with the excellence achieved in Trial and Error. Absolutely sensational and a probable favourite amongst most readers. Deceit, mysterious and fast pace turner. Wish it had more length to it.
Chunnel Vision - ⭐⭐
This story seems like a cruel joke in itself. A published Author meets his friend for a dinner that goes wrong. The friend recites a story he has come up with and is planning to write a book on it. First, the plot of the friend's story was too stupid and secondly, it seemed highly impossible The deception comes at the very last paragraph as in all of the above stories.
Shoeshine Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
Amidst all the suspense, this one has to be the most comic of all. 'The' Lord Mountbatten decides to visit the Islands over which over protagonist - Ted Barker is given responsibility of governing. Unfortunately, the governor is in a much worse plight to handle this event and thus causes a funny game of hiding this condition. The ending could have been much better.
You'll Never Live to Regret it - ⭐⭐⭐
This story is about an Insurance con carried out by David and Pat. Although it was quite gripping and the deception element was fair too, the ending seemed quite hurried.
Never stop on the Motorway - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The second most favourite story of all, after a dull start, it gains so much momentum and adrenaline rush that the reader is sure to be captivated by it turning pages after pages. Appropriate under Thriller genre, Diana leaves her office to meet her friend Daniel when someone seems to be following her car and come what may, she's unable to lose her stalker.
Not for Sale - ⭐⭐
An artist finally gets a break when her paintings are appreciated by a very famous personality who is set to launch her art in his Gallery! Again, the story seems well formed however, the deception point doesn't really hit the reader like it should and so does the closing line.
Timeo Danaos ... - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This story is an ultimate deception at so many places that I almost lost count. ALL the characters in the book get cheated either by false promises, fake stories, unreal vendors! Also, this is the most comic of all stories! Arnold Bacon decides to take his wife on a vacation on a Liner to Greece, while his better half has better plans - Buying a Dinner set! It's a fun read and fits the bill of herrings scattered all across the story.
An Eye for an Eye - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Almost on the similar lines of the most amazing story in the book - Trial and Error, this story is true page turner with a murder mystery in it however here the plot is what happens before the trail. This is yet another perfectly plotted story which delivers the blow in the end.
One Man's Meat ... - ⭐⭐⭐
This is one of kind and hence placed at the end of the book since this story leaves you hanging in the end only to provide you with 4 endings to choose from - Rare, burnt, Overdone and A` Point. While a reader can choose to read all of them (in that order specified) or just one to move on.
While Rare and A` Point are better versions of the story, Burnt and Overdone are equally negative aspects.
Loved the concept and the way JA manipulated certain characters or assigns same dialogues to other character depending on the ending type.
---
Love reading short stories?
Checkout Sci-Fi book Exhalation by Ted Chiang along with my Review
------
Jeffrey Archer's writing is spot-on as usual and in this collection of short stories he has done wonders with a couple stories. All of the 'herrings' are filled with Murder, Treachery, Blasphemy & Thrill which makes them quite memorable!
While Trial and Error, Do Not Pass Go, Never stop on the Motorway and An Eye for an Eye were my favourites, there were some lousy and silly ones too.
In all the stories, it comes down to the last paragraph and I found myself reading the last paragraph of almost every story repeatedly. Below is a detailed review of all of the herrings within the book.
Posting reviews of each of the twelve herrings from Twelve Red Herrings :
Trial & Error - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
I sincerely loved this fast-paced-no-bullshit mystery! From the first page, it kept me captivated and compelled me to turn page after page till I reached the end.
Loved the sense of urgency of the narrator in form of Richard & even excellent characterisation of Hackett.
This reminded me a lot of The Shawshank Redemption even though it's not exactly similar.
Cheap at half the price - ⭐⭐⭐
This was a much shorter story as compared to the first one and had less urgency to it, rather it was of a comic nature. Barring the deception element, nothing else was common in the two stories.
Dougie Mortimer's Right arm - ⭐⭐
Bob starts hunting for giving something remarkable on his farewell for which he'd be remembered and that's when he finds Dougie Mortimer's right arm.
Another story of deception however it fails to live up to the expectations one has after such an intriguing title. Although it ends well and in a rushed manner, JA does a fine job of conveying a message with it. Not the best of the lot.
Do Not Pass Go - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
A refugee finds himself in the country from which he had fled and thus on an execution trial.
This is another gem in the collection, in par with the excellence achieved in Trial and Error. Absolutely sensational and a probable favourite amongst most readers. Deceit, mysterious and fast pace turner. Wish it had more length to it.
Chunnel Vision - ⭐⭐
This story seems like a cruel joke in itself. A published Author meets his friend for a dinner that goes wrong. The friend recites a story he has come up with and is planning to write a book on it. First, the plot of the friend's story was too stupid and secondly, it seemed highly impossible The deception comes at the very last paragraph as in all of the above stories.
Shoeshine Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
Amidst all the suspense, this one has to be the most comic of all. 'The' Lord Mountbatten decides to visit the Islands over which over protagonist - Ted Barker is given responsibility of governing. Unfortunately, the governor is in a much worse plight to handle this event and thus causes a funny game of hiding this condition. The ending could have been much better.
You'll Never Live to Regret it - ⭐⭐⭐
This story is about an Insurance con carried out by David and Pat. Although it was quite gripping and the deception element was fair too, the ending seemed quite hurried.
Never stop on the Motorway - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The second most favourite story of all, after a dull start, it gains so much momentum and adrenaline rush that the reader is sure to be captivated by it turning pages after pages. Appropriate under Thriller genre, Diana leaves her office to meet her friend Daniel when someone seems to be following her car and come what may, she's unable to lose her stalker.
Not for Sale - ⭐⭐
An artist finally gets a break when her paintings are appreciated by a very famous personality who is set to launch her art in his Gallery! Again, the story seems well formed however, the deception point doesn't really hit the reader like it should and so does the closing line.
Timeo Danaos ... - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This story is an ultimate deception at so many places that I almost lost count. ALL the characters in the book get cheated either by false promises, fake stories, unreal vendors! Also, this is the most comic of all stories! Arnold Bacon decides to take his wife on a vacation on a Liner to Greece, while his better half has better plans - Buying a Dinner set! It's a fun read and fits the bill of herrings scattered all across the story.
An Eye for an Eye - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Almost on the similar lines of the most amazing story in the book - Trial and Error, this story is true page turner with a murder mystery in it however here the plot is what happens before the trail. This is yet another perfectly plotted story which delivers the blow in the end.
One Man's Meat ... - ⭐⭐⭐
This is one of kind and hence placed at the end of the book since this story leaves you hanging in the end only to provide you with 4 endings to choose from - Rare, burnt, Overdone and A` Point. While a reader can choose to read all of them (in that order specified) or just one to move on.
While Rare and A` Point are better versions of the story, Burnt and Overdone are equally negative aspects.
Loved the concept and the way JA manipulated certain characters or assigns same dialogues to other character depending on the ending type.
---
Love reading short stories?
Checkout Sci-Fi book Exhalation by Ted Chiang along with my Review
January 2, 2016
Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller...Especially when it comes to short stories.
February 2, 2017
This book I flicked through while staying at a holiday cottage in NSW and finally tracked down. Not a great fan of short-stories, Jeffrey Archer's Twelve Red Herrings started promisingly with the 83 page "Trial and Error". Each story was quirky but I quickly realised they all had the SAME theme: money and/or wealthy people. After 7 stories I tossed it. Yawn!!!!
2★.
2★.
January 22, 2022
In this collection of 12 short stories, Jeffrey Archer challenged his readers to identify red herring planted on each. I managed to located 4. Twice over that amount, Archer had successfully misleading me to draw false perceptions by his spinning and unexpected flows. Sometimes, made me feel like a fool.
My top picks.
1. Do Not Pass Go
Hamid Zebari, an Iraqi former minister managed to flee from "mysterious disappearance". A fate surely will follow anyone who fell from favour with Saddam Hussein. Successfully rebuild his life in US, he took his regular twice a year business flight to Turkey. During that fateful return flight, the airliner experienced malfunction, necessitated an emergency landing on BAGHDAD of all places. There's a big bounty over his head. Imagine how horror, chilling and suspenseful it was, for him. I will rate this as 6 stars (stand-alone) if that possible. Even in very heart-beating moments, there's a dark humour and funny seconds that made me laugh. Such a masterful stroke.
2. Trial and Error.
A logistic millionaire being convicted of murdering his business partner, a secret lover of his wife. I correctly guessed the red herring. I enjoyed this deceptive short thriller. Strong foundation of this story could easily afford full expansion if Archer decided so in future.
3. Shoeshine Boy.
For five years, Sir Ted Barker had been the Governor and Commander in Chief of St George, a British sovereign colony in the middle of North Atlantic. It's a laid-back island, representing the simplicity of life and being economical. The official car of Governor was an aging Land Rover. There's no air conditioning, and plumbing problems plaguing the official residence. It was in this state that His Excellency received a call from the Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Mountbatten of Burma; who informing h a desire to visit the island tomorrow afternoon. As much as Lord Mountbatten stated it was largely informal, Sir Ted planning otherwise. He wanted to have a lavish official ceremony to welcome the royal cousin, who was once a Viceroy of India. Fans of Sophie Kinsella surely will approve this story. Silly, hilarious and comedic.
Stories featured here were not in straight forward mode. It showed versatility on writing style. Some of red herrings planted here were so subtle like You'll Never Live to Regret it. I didn't understand what exactly happened. Only after re-read few days later I finally comprehend it. It's there but i didn't see it.
In One Man's Meat (Chapter 12), readers were given four choice of ending at one point. I read all and I chose the 2nd one, Burnt. It's the most gripping and upsetful. Perfect for intense short story. I never saw this kind of writing method before. Lord Archer decided to invent one.
Overall, this book differentiated itself from his other short stories collection. This one has a decided identity.
My top picks.
1. Do Not Pass Go
Hamid Zebari, an Iraqi former minister managed to flee from "mysterious disappearance". A fate surely will follow anyone who fell from favour with Saddam Hussein. Successfully rebuild his life in US, he took his regular twice a year business flight to Turkey. During that fateful return flight, the airliner experienced malfunction, necessitated an emergency landing on BAGHDAD of all places. There's a big bounty over his head. Imagine how horror, chilling and suspenseful it was, for him. I will rate this as 6 stars (stand-alone) if that possible. Even in very heart-beating moments, there's a dark humour and funny seconds that made me laugh. Such a masterful stroke.
2. Trial and Error.
A logistic millionaire being convicted of murdering his business partner, a secret lover of his wife. I correctly guessed the red herring. I enjoyed this deceptive short thriller. Strong foundation of this story could easily afford full expansion if Archer decided so in future.
3. Shoeshine Boy.
For five years, Sir Ted Barker had been the Governor and Commander in Chief of St George, a British sovereign colony in the middle of North Atlantic. It's a laid-back island, representing the simplicity of life and being economical. The official car of Governor was an aging Land Rover. There's no air conditioning, and plumbing problems plaguing the official residence. It was in this state that His Excellency received a call from the Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Mountbatten of Burma; who informing h a desire to visit the island tomorrow afternoon. As much as Lord Mountbatten stated it was largely informal, Sir Ted planning otherwise. He wanted to have a lavish official ceremony to welcome the royal cousin, who was once a Viceroy of India. Fans of Sophie Kinsella surely will approve this story. Silly, hilarious and comedic.
Stories featured here were not in straight forward mode. It showed versatility on writing style. Some of red herrings planted here were so subtle like You'll Never Live to Regret it. I didn't understand what exactly happened. Only after re-read few days later I finally comprehend it. It's there but i didn't see it.
In One Man's Meat (Chapter 12), readers were given four choice of ending at one point. I read all and I chose the 2nd one, Burnt. It's the most gripping and upsetful. Perfect for intense short story. I never saw this kind of writing method before. Lord Archer decided to invent one.
Overall, this book differentiated itself from his other short stories collection. This one has a decided identity.
July 31, 2020
Jeffrey Archer after so many years and it's a nice set of short stories written for entertainment than literature. Of course, this also has Sir Archer trying to dazzle us with his intelligence.
A red herring is something that intentionally misleads from a relevant fact. "It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion". Just to add another layer, Mr.Archer also inserts something that refers to a "red herring" in each chapter.
Some of the stories were good, but most of them were average. The misleading elements not necessarily leads to false conclusion. Just to illustrate the point, the last story actually has 4 different second halves.
The author plays the mighty creator who holds the cards. And when you are the one fabricating, it's you vs the reader. I felt it worked decently.
The best probably were 'Cheap at half the price' (smart), Never stop on the motor way (sounds familiar) and One Man's meat (the one with 4 endings).
A red herring is something that intentionally misleads from a relevant fact. "It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion". Just to add another layer, Mr.Archer also inserts something that refers to a "red herring" in each chapter.
Some of the stories were good, but most of them were average. The misleading elements not necessarily leads to false conclusion. Just to illustrate the point, the last story actually has 4 different second halves.
The author plays the mighty creator who holds the cards. And when you are the one fabricating, it's you vs the reader. I felt it worked decently.
The best probably were 'Cheap at half the price' (smart), Never stop on the motor way (sounds familiar) and One Man's meat (the one with 4 endings).
July 1, 2023
Twelve Red Herrings is a collection of twelve short stories by prolific English writer Jeffrey Archer. I have only actually read a couple of his thrillers so wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The unifying theme is that each one has a twist of some sort. Some are crime, some domestic drama, and some comedy.
I got it in a box of free books from a neighbour, and picked it because I have several other books on the go just now, so figured short stories were a good option to ad to my Book Club bag. This was published in 1994 so the takes are showing their age, but most of them were fun easy reads.
I won’t recap the plot for all of them. My favourites were “Don’t Stop On The Motorway” - a genuinely exciting thriller, about a woman being chased by a stranger in a van, and “You’ll Never Live to Regret It” about a couple trying to arrange life insurance.
I didn’t “get” “Chunnel Vision” and thought “Timéo Danaos” and “Cheap at half the price” were lame, but liked the rest of them well enough.
The final story, “One Man’s Meat” had a structure I’d never come across before - you read the first half, then are offered four different endings, of which you can chose one or read them all. I’m actually not sure which I preferred, and the actions of the protagonist come across as rather stalkery rather than romantic reading this in 2023. Interesting idea though.
I got it in a box of free books from a neighbour, and picked it because I have several other books on the go just now, so figured short stories were a good option to ad to my Book Club bag. This was published in 1994 so the takes are showing their age, but most of them were fun easy reads.
I won’t recap the plot for all of them. My favourites were “Don’t Stop On The Motorway” - a genuinely exciting thriller, about a woman being chased by a stranger in a van, and “You’ll Never Live to Regret It” about a couple trying to arrange life insurance.
I didn’t “get” “Chunnel Vision” and thought “Timéo Danaos” and “Cheap at half the price” were lame, but liked the rest of them well enough.
The final story, “One Man’s Meat” had a structure I’d never come across before - you read the first half, then are offered four different endings, of which you can chose one or read them all. I’m actually not sure which I preferred, and the actions of the protagonist come across as rather stalkery rather than romantic reading this in 2023. Interesting idea though.
September 10, 2010
The term "Master Storyteller" is perhaps overused but in this case, Jeffrey Archer earns the moniker. Each of these stories I read between other people's novels, in order to space them out. It is a testament to the quality of these stories that I found myself wanting to get past the particular novel I was reading so I could get to the next Archer short story. Some of these stories have twists and some have irony, but they all have that exceptional phrasing that I have come to expect from Mr. Archer. I think if you are looking for a well-told tale, this is the book for you.
December 26, 2021
Jak to tak bývá, některé povídky lepší, jiné slabší, ale jako celek mě vesměs bavily.
Jsou vtipné a dobře vypointované.
Autora už jsem zařadila do oblíbených :)
Jsou vtipné a dobře vypointované.
Autora už jsem zařadila do oblíbených :)
November 26, 2011
My rating is 4.2. I love jeffrey Archer! Alongside of roald dahl he is IMHo the master of the short story. there are some very good gems in here!
1 Trial and error- 5 stars- Simply a brilliant tale of murder, deception, betrayal and more. Archer remains the master of the short story.
2- Cheap at half the price- 4 stars- A delightful deception...some folks have all the luck
3- Dougie mortimor's right arm- 3 stars- The Herring is quite as tasty in this story as the previous 2. Still a decent light read.
4- Do Not Pass Go- 4 stars- What a powerful story of self preservation with hints of living under the threat of a tyranical regime. I found myself borederline afraid for the characters well being.
5- Chunnel Vision- 4 stars- The dialouge was great, but the plot just didn't snare me in...I was going to go 3 stars, but the side plot was quite humerous!
6- The Shoeshine Boy- 3 stars- Not only can Jeffrey Archer write a pointless story seemingly about nothing, he can have you enjoy every pointless minute.
7- You'll never live to regret it- 4 stars- cute and short if nothing else.
8- Never Stop On The Motorway- 4 stars- What a chilling tale...and remember never stop on the motorway!!!!
9- Not for sale- 3 stars- A very intriguing story for me..but was very let down by the ending...almost to the point that I am not quite sure what happened!
10- Timeo Danos...- 3 stars-
11- An eye for an eye- 3-4 stars- A very good story about deception, murder and cunning!
12- One mans meat- 5 stars- At this point because I can't wait to see how it ends....With 4 endings I only hope I have mad the right choice....I don't want to mess up my chance with beautiful woman...
I choose ending 3 overdone, just how I like my steak!
Overdone- LOL! This is to much..a very nice story, but my plan back fired...not only couldn't I get a pleasant outcome, but it seems I don't have a very solid moral compas either.
Burnt- See this is why I like my steak well...Just perfect, but if you burn it, it drains all the juice. This ending has no juice. A good story to be fair, but not the ending I would want!
A point- I hereby promise that the next time I order a steak it will be medium rare...this made the story work!!!! If you only do one ending choose this one!
rare- See this is why you don't order anything rare...it just does not get ot well done!
1 Trial and error- 5 stars- Simply a brilliant tale of murder, deception, betrayal and more. Archer remains the master of the short story.
2- Cheap at half the price- 4 stars- A delightful deception...some folks have all the luck
3- Dougie mortimor's right arm- 3 stars- The Herring is quite as tasty in this story as the previous 2. Still a decent light read.
4- Do Not Pass Go- 4 stars- What a powerful story of self preservation with hints of living under the threat of a tyranical regime. I found myself borederline afraid for the characters well being.
5- Chunnel Vision- 4 stars- The dialouge was great, but the plot just didn't snare me in...I was going to go 3 stars, but the side plot was quite humerous!
6- The Shoeshine Boy- 3 stars- Not only can Jeffrey Archer write a pointless story seemingly about nothing, he can have you enjoy every pointless minute.
7- You'll never live to regret it- 4 stars- cute and short if nothing else.
8- Never Stop On The Motorway- 4 stars- What a chilling tale...and remember never stop on the motorway!!!!
9- Not for sale- 3 stars- A very intriguing story for me..but was very let down by the ending...almost to the point that I am not quite sure what happened!
10- Timeo Danos...- 3 stars-
11- An eye for an eye- 3-4 stars- A very good story about deception, murder and cunning!
12- One mans meat- 5 stars- At this point because I can't wait to see how it ends....With 4 endings I only hope I have mad the right choice....I don't want to mess up my chance with beautiful woman...
I choose ending 3 overdone, just how I like my steak!
Overdone- LOL! This is to much..a very nice story, but my plan back fired...not only couldn't I get a pleasant outcome, but it seems I don't have a very solid moral compas either.
Burnt- See this is why I like my steak well...Just perfect, but if you burn it, it drains all the juice. This ending has no juice. A good story to be fair, but not the ending I would want!
A point- I hereby promise that the next time I order a steak it will be medium rare...this made the story work!!!! If you only do one ending choose this one!
rare- See this is why you don't order anything rare...it just does not get ot well done!
February 23, 2014
You open a story and cannot put the book down till you are done with it. There you meet the ending which just keeps it's promise. You wonder if Jeffrey Archer can handle romance in short stories as well as he manages the thrill. There as you reach the last story, you are presented with a piece precisely written to answer that question you ask.
There is a beautiful start to a romantic flick and just at the point where you start judging it, it challenges you with alternate endings. You read all the four endings in the suggested order. By the time you reach the last ending and as you savour each word of it, you know your answer has been delivered.
There is a beautiful start to a romantic flick and just at the point where you start judging it, it challenges you with alternate endings. You read all the four endings in the suggested order. By the time you reach the last ending and as you savour each word of it, you know your answer has been delivered.
March 18, 2019
Awesome short story collection recommended by a co-worker. I enjoyed it so much I went to my closest used book store and bought all the short story books they had by Jeffrey Archer! Highly recommended, especially to those who enjoy mysteries but need or want something short, but still cohesive and well written...
August 23, 2022
I loved how the author challenged readers with red herrings planted in each of the twelve stories. I was misled almost throughout and I'm not even ashamed to admit.
My favourite was Do Not Pass Go, where Hamid Zebari, a former agriculture minister from Iraq escaped from his country after falling from favour with Saddam Hussein. He goes to the US and starts a carpet selling business, which requires him taking flights to Turkey for purchase. On his return from Turkey, the plane had a malfunction, causing an emergency landing in.... Baghdad (Iraq), where he is still a wanted man. At that point I could feel his fear. Everything felt so real. It has humour and suspense, with a good ending.
Another good story was One Man's Meat...
It had a really good buildup with a touch of romance. Michael Whitaker saw a very beautiful lady entering a theatre and decided to abandon whatever he was doing and follow her. He managed to get a seat next to her in the audience, which led to their introduction and in-play conversation. What really amused me was the author giving readers the choice of four different endings, which I've never come across before. Great writing method. Out of curiosity, I read all of them and they all satisfied my taste, both the good and bad endings.
My third Jeffrey Archer book and it keeps getting better.
My favourite was Do Not Pass Go, where Hamid Zebari, a former agriculture minister from Iraq escaped from his country after falling from favour with Saddam Hussein. He goes to the US and starts a carpet selling business, which requires him taking flights to Turkey for purchase. On his return from Turkey, the plane had a malfunction, causing an emergency landing in.... Baghdad (Iraq), where he is still a wanted man. At that point I could feel his fear. Everything felt so real. It has humour and suspense, with a good ending.
Another good story was One Man's Meat...
It had a really good buildup with a touch of romance. Michael Whitaker saw a very beautiful lady entering a theatre and decided to abandon whatever he was doing and follow her. He managed to get a seat next to her in the audience, which led to their introduction and in-play conversation. What really amused me was the author giving readers the choice of four different endings, which I've never come across before. Great writing method. Out of curiosity, I read all of them and they all satisfied my taste, both the good and bad endings.
My third Jeffrey Archer book and it keeps getting better.
August 15, 2020
I had always heard about Jeffrey Archer but I could never find time to immerse in one of his creations. Now I am glad that I finally finished two of his works; Paths of Glory and The Twelve Red Herrings. And I can safely say that he is a marvelous writer.
I have no doubt that his other works would be as fascinating as this one!
5 stars for sheer creativity, such variety in the short stories and the style of reading which makes you stay glued to you seat until the end of every red Herring!
I have no doubt that his other works would be as fascinating as this one!
5 stars for sheer creativity, such variety in the short stories and the style of reading which makes you stay glued to you seat until the end of every red Herring!
April 8, 2019
12 Fabulous stories , that would keep your mind ticking !!!
March 11, 2025
All great stories except 1 or 2... Classic Jeffery Archer...
Go for it...
Go for it...
July 28, 2018
12 Red Herrings was required reading for university so I might be a bit biased in my lack of enjoyment. Definitely not my favorite, but it is great for learning vocabulary and idioms at an advanced English level.
Trial and Error
This one was way too long for a short story. Interesting and well-thought-out, but ultimately, not that enjoyable nor entertaining.
Cheap At Half the Price
This one was way shorter, and way more enjoyable. I enjoyed the witty voice of the narrator and the description of the charcaterss, even if they were quite stereotypical. The ending was clever, but not very shocking.
Dougie Mortimer's Right Arm
Quite boring, unfortunately. But I did not know these rowing competitions between universities were a thing, so I guess every day is a school day.
Do Not Pass Go
This story was interesting, especially because of the Iraqi background that I had studied in my History classes. It was quite memorable but it didn't have a very surprising plot twist.
Chunnel Vision
At this point in this collection it became pretty obvious that Archer has a thing for creating women who are beautiful but superficial and spiteful creatures that just want money out of men. I'm kind of done with this pattern, and the story was only vaguely entertaining.
Shoeshine Boy
This was one of the few that I actually really liked. The main couple was loveable and it was so fun watch them get their shit together before a special guest arrived; it was quite relatable.
You'll Never Live to Regret It
Probably my favorite one. It had two plot twists that I absolutely did not see coming and it was very interesting how the author used our own heteronormativity to build the red herring.
Never Stop on the Motorway
This story is pure anxiety. It had me in the edge of my seat the whole time and the plot twist was amazing. I loved it.
Not for Sale
One of the most enjoyable ones. I really liked our protagonist and the ending had a nice twist, even if it was comical.
Timeo Danaos
I really couldn't care less about this one tbh.
Wow I'm so articulate. This is a quality review.
An Eye for an Eye
I felt this one was really entertaining and atmospheric. It was very enjoyable.
One Man's Meat...
The last story has four different endings and although that is a unique, creative idea, the endings were not that entertaining.
Trial and Error
This one was way too long for a short story. Interesting and well-thought-out, but ultimately, not that enjoyable nor entertaining.
Cheap At Half the Price
This one was way shorter, and way more enjoyable. I enjoyed the witty voice of the narrator and the description of the charcaterss, even if they were quite stereotypical. The ending was clever, but not very shocking.
Dougie Mortimer's Right Arm
Quite boring, unfortunately. But I did not know these rowing competitions between universities were a thing, so I guess every day is a school day.
Do Not Pass Go
This story was interesting, especially because of the Iraqi background that I had studied in my History classes. It was quite memorable but it didn't have a very surprising plot twist.
Chunnel Vision
At this point in this collection it became pretty obvious that Archer has a thing for creating women who are beautiful but superficial and spiteful creatures that just want money out of men. I'm kind of done with this pattern, and the story was only vaguely entertaining.
Shoeshine Boy
This was one of the few that I actually really liked. The main couple was loveable and it was so fun watch them get their shit together before a special guest arrived; it was quite relatable.
You'll Never Live to Regret It
Probably my favorite one. It had two plot twists that I absolutely did not see coming and it was very interesting how the author used our own heteronormativity to build the red herring.
Never Stop on the Motorway
This story is pure anxiety. It had me in the edge of my seat the whole time and the plot twist was amazing. I loved it.
Not for Sale
One of the most enjoyable ones. I really liked our protagonist and the ending had a nice twist, even if it was comical.
Timeo Danaos
I really couldn't care less about this one tbh.
Wow I'm so articulate. This is a quality review.
An Eye for an Eye
I felt this one was really entertaining and atmospheric. It was very enjoyable.
One Man's Meat...
The last story has four different endings and although that is a unique, creative idea, the endings were not that entertaining.
July 14, 2014
1997 Oct 02
2005 Jan 01
Archer takes some urban legends, which he appears to believe are true, and turns them into stories crafted by a skilled writer. They come out much better that way.
2005 Jan 01
Archer takes some urban legends, which he appears to believe are true, and turns them into stories crafted by a skilled writer. They come out much better that way.
September 17, 2017
"Twelve Red Herrings" is a collection of short stories by Jeffrey Archer. Nine of which are based in known events to the author (admittedly heavily embellished) and the other three original ideas.
Each tale puts one of its characters under a pressure situation to see how they could react and what choice they might make. Like the different directions that his characters go Archer has put into each of his tales a "red herring" designed to lead the reader down a particular path only to later on spring an unexpected twist taking the story in a completely different direction. Archer even includes a finishing story with a choice of four different endings just to highlight how a storyteller can easily change the direction of his narration and the potential options available.
Overall, like many short story collections, some tales are very good and some are just ok. Fortunately though there are more good ones than poor ones in this book.
"Twelve Red Herrings" gets 3.5 fishy twists out of five.
Each tale puts one of its characters under a pressure situation to see how they could react and what choice they might make. Like the different directions that his characters go Archer has put into each of his tales a "red herring" designed to lead the reader down a particular path only to later on spring an unexpected twist taking the story in a completely different direction. Archer even includes a finishing story with a choice of four different endings just to highlight how a storyteller can easily change the direction of his narration and the potential options available.
Overall, like many short story collections, some tales are very good and some are just ok. Fortunately though there are more good ones than poor ones in this book.
"Twelve Red Herrings" gets 3.5 fishy twists out of five.
January 30, 2018
Red herring means a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to be misleading or distracting, which is totally apt for the title of the book. Archer uses this in his writing, leaving the readers wanting for more.
This is a collection of 12 short stories written in strong clean prose, each story having a sudden twist and surprise ending. Some of the stories are really hilarious while some keep you on the edge of your seat!
My favorites are Shoeshine Boy, Never Stop on the Motorway, Do not Pass Go, An eye for an eye, and last but not the least, One Man's Meat, which has 4 different endings ( my fav being Burnt!!)
This is a collection of 12 short stories written in strong clean prose, each story having a sudden twist and surprise ending. Some of the stories are really hilarious while some keep you on the edge of your seat!
My favorites are Shoeshine Boy, Never Stop on the Motorway, Do not Pass Go, An eye for an eye, and last but not the least, One Man's Meat, which has 4 different endings ( my fav being Burnt!!)
June 2, 2018
Me quito el sombrero ante Archer. Sin duda uno de los mejores libros de cuentos que he leído en toda mi vida. Perfectamente bien construidos y con un humor bastante oscuro. Una delicia de leer, en verdad.
May 15, 2021
I love a good short story, and this collection provided 12 of them! They reminded me a lot of Roald Dahls short stories, featuring improbable but not impossible situations and clever twists, but unfortunately didn't impress quite as much...
May 18, 2024
Fun collection of 12 short stories. I think the red herring theme was a little stretched for some of them, or completely missing in others, but the stories themselves were well written and engaging. Especially enjoyed the four alternate endings for the final story
May 10, 2025
67%, DNF
Ja staram się nie czytać MĘSKICH AUTORÓW bo właśnie potem dostaje takie coś — kobiety w tych jego historiach to młodsze sexy laski lub jak była o gold digger to że na diecie jest i że jest taka szczuplutka i sposób w jaki ocenia swoją przyjaciółkę że je nie patrząc na kalorie - MIND YOU NAPISAŁ TO FACET 🤢 hated it 🙄 co oni mają zawsze za przyjebane wyobrażenia i wymagania wobec kobiet
Ja staram się nie czytać MĘSKICH AUTORÓW bo właśnie potem dostaje takie coś — kobiety w tych jego historiach to młodsze sexy laski lub jak była o gold digger to że na diecie jest i że jest taka szczuplutka i sposób w jaki ocenia swoją przyjaciółkę że je nie patrząc na kalorie - MIND YOU NAPISAŁ TO FACET 🤢 hated it 🙄 co oni mają zawsze za przyjebane wyobrażenia i wymagania wobec kobiet
October 13, 2025
Compared to all his other books even his collections of short stories, 12 herrings falls short. The characters were predictable and so very similar to others I had seen more developed. These were caricature figures.
But I will keep reading his works
But I will keep reading his works
February 1, 2019
Excellent book. Every story as good as the last!
April 9, 2021
good bedtime read a great Collection Of short stories
January 13, 2022
Nice & easy read with multiple short, fun, interesting and engaging stories
Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews